# Cigar butts as fertilizer?



## King James (Dec 18, 2005)

I have read a few threads where people said they bury their cigar butts in potted plants and such. Was just wondering how much this actually helps the plant grow if at all. Tried searching but couldn't come up with anything besides threads where people said they do it...not why


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## Timberlake2006 (Sep 8, 2006)

Sounds strange, but I suppose it would work, I mean its all organic material that would eventually breakdown, doesn't seem like the most cost effective fertilizer, but what else are you gonna do with those slobbery butts?


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## xxwaldoxx (Apr 2, 2006)

I always empty my ashtray into the compost pile. I dont know if It actually does anything, but Ive always heard it was great for the plants.


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## JPH (Jun 30, 2006)

I usually eat my butts...followed by a guzzle of motor oil....Name that movie!!


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## TechMetalMan (Apr 2, 2006)

Not sure on the movie- probably some Hick Flick- but yeah I always toss my butts into my mom's plant beds- same with my apples etc...


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## King James (Dec 18, 2005)

been trying to tell my mom to throw my butts into her plants n that...she won't believe me that they help haha


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## SilvrBck (Sep 8, 2003)

Tobacco is a great pesticide. Not sure what it'd do in compost though.


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## azn_fury (Aug 27, 2006)

So far my herbs are growing pretty well with all of the cigar butts and ash in the soil.


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## TMoneYNYY (Oct 6, 2006)

I don't know if it would actually "help" many plants. The nicotene in cigars is harmful to a lot of organisms, so I would check before you shower your plants with used Rome y Julietas!


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## smokemifyagotem (Mar 12, 2003)

I would do a little research before you try butts as fertilizer. My very unscientific example is this - back in the day my mom used to scream at me when I wouls ash my cig and cigars in her garden b/c she swore the ashes got into the soil and damaged the plants.


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## bigr8131963 (Dec 21, 2006)

King James said:


> I have read a few threads where people said they bury their cigar butts in potted plants and such. Was just wondering how much this actually helps the plant grow if at all. Tried searching but couldn't come up with anything besides threads where people said they do it...not why


 I put my ashes and butts in my compose bin and I've never had any problems.:u


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## EvanS (Dec 29, 2006)

SilvrBck said:


> Tobacco is a great pesticide. Not sure what it'd do in compost though.


yep, just ask any tobacco beetle!!!


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

This was copied from the Akron Cigar club site where I am a member

Some little know facts about cigars that may come in handy.

1. Don't throw cigar butts into your tomato garden! The tobacco may contain a fungus called "Blue Matrix" that is really bad for tomatoes. Once it gets into the soil, it's there for good. It shouldn't affect any other plants though, so feel free to compost the butts.

2. Got bugs in your garden? Take some of your old cigar butts, and soak them in water overnight. Put the resulting solution into a watering can and water your plants with it. The nicotine in the water is extremely toxic to insects, so it will act as a repellant. Of course, this is extremely toxic to people as well, so don't go trying to drink the solution. If you thought you felt bad reading about strong cigars in Question 2. above, this will pale in comparison!

http://www.akroncigarclub.net/article.php?articleid=16


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

My Grandfather, who grew bacy, used to spread the stalks in the winter around the vegetable garden to decompose and enhance the soil for the spring planting. I suppose cigar buts is not too far removed from that idea.


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## TheDirector (Nov 22, 2006)

Tobacco takes alot of nutrients from the soil, so it would figure to make good nutrient rich compost. I would not have a high proportion of tobacco in the compost however....


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## Terrasco (Nov 26, 2006)

I use a planter as an ashtray and throw my butts in the bushes and I haven't had any problems.


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## RGD (May 10, 2006)

Tobacco is no different from any other plant material once it mixes with soil - it will breakdown and contribute. We use to plow under the stalks and any left over trash plants/leaves and it never had any negative effects on the following year crops. 

And I would not count on the nicotine content to last very long as it would biodegrade pretty rapidly. I sure we have some chemist types on the board here who could come up with the half life data.

I'm pretty sure that any person who does not smoke would of course find the use of any tobacco product as a fertilizer objectionable - just because.


Ron


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## omowasu (Aug 9, 2006)

Well, most of my backyard is mulched with various cigar butts that I run over with the tractor - and the grass seems to to OK! :r ...


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## wharfrathoss (Dec 27, 2006)

as long as the garden has no tomatoes (as Quan stated above), the tobacco acts as a pesticide-the ashes actually act as the fertilizer-they're high in potassium, hence "potash" suffix in many otc fertilizers


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